Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine makes grand entrance in Geneva

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Bentley must be feeling the pressure from Mercedes-Benz's moves into its price category, because the Anglo-German automaker just rolled out the six-person Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner (we'll just call it Grand Limousine for short).

The Mulliner bespoke division added 3 feet to the length of the Mulsanne with an insert at the B-pillars, also adding an extra 3.1 inches to the roof. The three side panels are all different lengths, with the middle insert being the shortest one; the aim of the middle section is just to provide an extra row of rear-facing seats.

Bentley isn’t wasting any time freshening up the Mulsanne. A new version will debut at the Geneva auto show next month. That’s a far cry from the 18 years in between the previous two ...

The three sections aren't of equal length, though the Pullman is not exactly symmetric anymore either. Photo by Bentley

Rear passenger comfort is what the Grand Limousine is about, and just like the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman, the Bentley features conference-style seating with an extra center console for rear-facing passengers. For the first time ever, Bentley has also used electrochromatic glass -- the side windows and interior partition can go from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. This is the same technology Mercedes used in the first-gen Maybach sedans, though only for the sky window. And since this is a Bentley limousine, there is a drink cabinet and bottle cooler complete with frosted glass and crystal flutes. iPad charging and docking stations also have been integrated into the interior, because captains of industry oligarchs have to monitor oil and gas prices in real time.

"The Mulsanne Grand Limousine showcases the exquisite craftsmanship of our in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner and exemplifies the way in which our experts consult with a customer to turn their vision into an extraordinary reality," said Wolfgang Durheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors. "The attention to detail, quality, creativity and skill applied to every Mulliner commission is truly unique in the automotive world."

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the first images of the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach Pullman S600 limousine prior to its debut at the Geneva motor show next month. The four-door, six-seat model has been in ...

Whoever the mystery buyer is, he or she can now bring the conference room with them. Photo by Bentley

This isn't the first time the Mulsanne has been turned into a limousine; Carat Duchatelet built at least one other example a couple of years ago based on the short-wheelbase sedan, also adding a middle section. But until now, Mulliner hasn't offered a version of the Flying Spur or Mulsanne in this configuration; someone actually asked for it, so we are looking at one particular customer's dream car. And whoever bought it specified the two-tone silver frost and Moroccan blue colors (well chosen, mystery buyer).

Now that Mulliner has shown Bentley can compete with other German limousines, perhaps a few Pullman customers will try to get their deposits back. The automaker hasn't disclosed just how much this example cost, but you can bet it was seven figures.